University of Oklahoma College of Law University of Oklahoma College of Law Digital Commons American Indian and Alaskan Native Documents in the Congressional Serial Set: 1817-1899 1-9-1893 Report on introduction of domestic reindeer into Alaska, with maps and illustrations, by Sheldon Jackson, General Agent of Education in Alaska. 1893 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.law.ou.edu/indianserialset Part of the Indian and Aboriginal Law Commons Recommended Citation S. Misc. Doc. No. 22, 52nd Cong., 2nd Sess. (1893) This Senate Miscellaneous Document is brought to you for free and open access by University of Oklahoma College of Law Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in American Indian and Alaskan Native Documents in the Congressional Serial Set: 1817-1899 by an authorized administrator of University of Oklahoma College of Law Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. G2n CONGRESS,} SENA'):E. - Mrs. Doc. 2d Session. { No. 22. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES. REPORT ON INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA, WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS, BY SHELDON rJACKSON. GENERAL AGENT OF EDUCATION IN ALASKA, 1 8 9 3. JANUARY 10, 1893.-Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered. to be printed. W~4..SHINGTON: GOVERNl\'lEN'l' PRIN'l'ING OFFICE. 1803. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BURE~,\__U OJ:" EDUCATION, _ - lVashington, Jam.wry 9, 1893. Sm: In compliance with a resolution of the Senate passed January 6, 1893, directing that the Oonrn1jRsi;>ner of Bdncntion trn,11smit to tl1e Senate a copy of tlie latest report of J)_r. Sheldon Jaekson ou tl.e iil-­ troduction of domesticated reindeer iuto Alaska, I have tlie Louur Lo transmit said report herewith. Very respectfully~ w. T. HARRIS, Commissioner. The PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE. 3 U.S. Revenue Cutter" Bear" Communicating with Siberian Deermen. [Photo. by Dr. S. J. Call. From The Californian.] H erd of Domesticated Reindeer, and T emporary Village of Siberian Deermen. [Photo. by Dr. S. J. Call. From The Californian.] (FRONTISPIECE, INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. ·DEP.A.R'l'MENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF EDUCATION, .AL.A.SK.A. DIVISION, Washington, D. 0., January 2, 189r SIR: So many inquiries have been made since my return from Alaska concerning the present progress of the plan to introduce domesticated reindeer into .Alaska, that it seems expedient to make a special report on that branch of t.lie work of the office without waiting for the regu­ lar annual report ou education in .Alaska. I have the honor therefore to submit the following report of progress on the introduction of domesticated reindeer into .Alaska: In the summer of 1890, in accordance with your instructions, I vis­ ited Northern .Alaska and established schools for the Arctic Eskimo at Cape Prince of Wales, ·Point Hope, and Point Barrow. Through the courtesy of the Secretary of the Treasury and of Capt. L. G. Shepard, chief of the Revenue Marine Division of the Treasury Department, I was permitted to accompany the U.S. Reveuue Marine Steamer Bear, ' Capt. M. A.. Healy, commanding, on her annual cruise in Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean. In addition to conveying me to the points designated, Captain Healy was under instructions from the Secretary of the Treasury to visit the coast of Siberia, and distribute presents to the Koraks around Cape Navarin in return for shelter and food furnished shipwreckedAmerican-­ wlrnlers. He was also under commission from Superintendent ·Porter, of the Censns Office to take a censns of the native populatiou along the arctic coast of ALu,ka arnl the iala11ds of Bering Sea, which popu­ latiou could uot be reached by the usual enumerators. The trip to Siberia enabled me to make a cruise of 700 miles along that little-known coast, and study somewhat the character of the native population under conditions corresponding with those under which life must be jpaintained in Alaska. I found tllem to be a hardy, active, and well-fed peo.J!)le, owning tens of thousauds of head of domestic rein- ,, deer. The taking of the census of arctic Alaska furuished me even more extensive facilities for studying the condition of the Eskimo of Ala,R]rn. I found them like their neigl.tl>ors 01t the Siberian side to be a.hardy and active people, but because they had never been instructed to depend upon the raising of reindeer as a support, unlike the Sil>erians, they were on the verge of starvation. '.rhe whale and walrns that formerly had constituted the principal portion of their food have been destroyed or driven off by the whalers; aind the wild reindeer that once abounded in their country, h~ve been killed off by the introduction of breech-load­ ing firearms. The thorough canvas of the nati vc popula.tion for enumeration, neces­ sitating a landing wherever even oue 01· two tents were seen on the 5 6 INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INTO ALASKA. ueach furnisbed uuusual opportu11ities for observing the educat,io1_1al needs'of that people and lea,rning the great difficulties under which schools will have to be carried on. · Upon my return to Washington I had the honor on Novem~~r 12 to address you a preliminary report of the season's work, emphas1zmg the destitute condition of the Alaskan Eskimo. On the 5th of December this report was transmitted by you to t1_rn Secretary of the Interior for his information and on the 15th transmit­ ted to the Senate by Hon. George Chandler, Acting Secretary of the Interior. On the following day it was referred by the Senate to the Committee on Education and Labor. On the 19th of December, Hon. Louis E. McComas, of Maryland, in­ troduced into the House of Representatives a joint resolutiou (H. R. No. 258), providing that the act of Congress, approved March 2, 1887, "An act to establish agricultural experiment stations in connection with the colleges established in the several States under the provi- · sions of an act approved tTuly' 2, 1862, and of the acts supplementary thereto" and an aet approved A11gust 30, 1890, entitled "An act to apply a portion of the proceeds of the pul>1ic lands to the more complete endowment and support of the colleges for the benefi.t of agriculture and the mechanic arts, established under the provisio11s of an act of Congress approved July 2, 1862," should be extended by the Secretary of the Interior over Alaska, with the exi)ectation that the purchase, improvement, and management of domestic reindeer shonl<l be made a part of the industrial education of the proposed college. The resolution was referred to the Committee on E<lucation, and on the 9th of January, 1891, reported back to the House of Representa- tives for passage. (See A.ppendix A.) . It was, however, so near the close of the short term of Congress that the re8olution was not reached. When it became apparent that it would not be reached in the usual way, the _Hon. Henry M. Teller, on the 26th of February moved an amendment to the bill (H. R. No. 13462) making appropriations for sun­ dry civil expcrn,es of the Government for the year ending June 30, 1892, appropriating $15,000 for the introduction of domestic reindeer into Alaska, which was carried. The appropriation failed to receive the concurrence of the conference committee of the House of Repre­ sentatives. Upon the failure of the Fffty-first Congress to take action, and depre­ cating the delay of twelve months l)efore another attempt could be made, with your approval, I made an appeal in the Mail and Express of New York City, the Boston Transcript, the Philadelphia Ledgei:, the Chicago Interocean, and Washington Star, as well as in a number of the leading religious newspapers of the country, for contributions to this object. The response was prompt and generous; $2,146 were received. (Appendix B.) - As ~h~ season had arrived for the usual visit of inspection and supe~vis10n_ o_f the schools in Alaska you were kind enough to direct ~hat m addit10n to my regular work for the schools, I should continue 11~ ch~rge of the work of transplanting domesticated reindeer from Siberia to Alaska. As the natives of Siberia, who own the reindeer, J uow nothing of the u e of money, an assortment of goods for the pur­ po e of bar~er for the reindeer was procured from the funds so gener­ ou ly contributed by benevolent people in answer to the appeal through the new paper". , The honorable Secretary of the Treasury issued instructions to Oap- INTRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC REINDEER INrro ALASKA. 7 _ tain Healy to furnish me every possible facility for the purchase and transportation of reindeer from Siberia to Alaska. The honorable Secretary of State secured from the Russian Government instructions to liheir officers on the Siberian coast, also, to render what assistance tliey could, and on May 25th, 1892, I again took passage on the revenue cutter Bear, Captain Healy in command, for the cost of Siberia. The proposition to introduce domesticated reindeer into Alaska had excited widespread and general interest. In the public discussious which arose with regard to the scheme a sentiment was found in some circles that it was impracticable; that on account of the superstitions of the natives they would be unwilling to sell their stock alive; fur­ ther, that the nature of the reiµdeer was such that he would not bear ship transportation, and also that even if they could be purchased and safely transported the native dogs on the Alaskan coast would destroy, or tlte natives kill them for food.